Signal comparing apparatus



Jan. 8, 1952 A LAKE 1 SIGNAL COMPARING APPARATUS Filed March 4, 1949 1 A In INVENTOR Ross A. LAKE 'ayf ww ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 8, 1952 SIGNAL COMPARING APPARATUS- H Ross A. Lake, Oak Park, 111., asslgnorto Teletype Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a qcorporatlon of Delaware Application March 4, 1949,Serial No. 79,633-

7 Claims.

, V 1 This invention relates to printing telegraph apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for checking signals against a master contro1- form.

'The principal object of the present invention is to provide a mechanical apparatus for receiving incoming telegraph signals and comparing such signals with a master control form.

By the inventionas illustrated in the drawing an armature is actuated in response to incoming signals and a plurality of sensing levers sense the perforations in a master control form. If the signals from both sources fail to agree a bail pivots to close a pair of contacts in an alarm circuit to bring the fact of signal disagreement to the attention of an attendant. Simultaneously with the closure of the alarm circuit a detent is actuated to enable a feed wheel to return the ing showing a perspective view of'the preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing a-receiving selector magnet H is mounted suitably on a supporting bracket l2 and is energized in accordance with signals received over a signal line |3. The selector magnet H has a cooperating armature |4 mounted suitably for pivotal movement about a shaft I6. The armature I4 is urged clockwise continuously about the shaft It by a spring H and is restrained in its pivotal movement by a set screw I8. When the magnet receives a spacing or no current impulse the sprin I! is effective to retain the armature |4 against the set screw I8; however, upon the receipt of a marking or current impulse by the magnet II it pulls up the armature l4.

A cam shaft l9, associated with the receiver mechanim is released for rotation in a well known manner in a clockwise direction by the start impulse of each signal received by the receiving seelctor magnet II. that any well known means be utilized for releasing the shaft IQ for rotation, there being a number of such means in common use at the present time in the printing telegraph field.

A plurality of sensing levers 2| are mounted It is contemplated suitably for longitudinal movement between a pair of guides 22 and are urged'continuously toward a master control form 23 by springs 24 individual toeach sensing lever 2|. The sensing levers 2| have round end portions 26 for entering perforations 21 in the master control form -23. Each of the sensin levers 2| has a slot 23 within which a rounded end 29 of a mixer lever 3| is positioned. A separate mixer lever 3| is provided for each sensing lever 2| and all are mounted pivotally on a shaft 32, being urged clockwise thereabout by individual springs 33.- Each of the mixer levers 3| has a follower 34 which rides -one of the earns 35 through 39 mounted on the shaft l9. Each-of the cams 35' through 39 have low portions42, the low portion 42 on the cam- 35 being positioned opposite the 7 corresponding follower 34 when the magnet receives the No. l impulse of an incoming signal, the low portion on the cam 36 being opposite the correspondin follower 34 when the magnet i receives the No. 2 impulse, etc. The sensing levers 2| are each provided with an upward extending projection 43 which is adapted to cooperate with the armature l4. If the sensing lever 2| senses a perforation, or marking. indicia in the master controlform 23, it-moves to the right under the urging of its spring 24. If, when the lowportion 42 of the corresponding cam 35 through 39 is opposite its follower 34, and when the sensing lever 2| has sensed a perforation in the control form 23, the armature is pivoted counterclockwise in response to a marking impulse, then the armature M will engage the upward projection 43 to prevent any pivotal movement of the mixer lever 3| and sensing lever 2|. This condition occurs when mark- 7 ing impulses are sensed in both the incomingsignal and in the master control form. If the sensing lever 2| senses a spacing or non-perforated spotin the master control form 23 at a time when the armature |4 senses a marking im-' pulse, then the lower end of the armature M will move to the right of the projection 43 on the sensing lever 2|. This permits the follower 34 on the mixer lever 3| to follow the lower portion 42 on the corresponding cam and thereby permits the spring 33 to pivot the mixer lever. 3| and; sensing lever 2| clockwise slightly. If the armature l4 and sensing lever 2| respond to spacing impulses simultaneously then neither the armature nor the sensing lever willmove and therefore pivotal movement of the sensin lever 2| and mixer lever 3| will be prevented. When the armature l4 responds to a. spacing impulse at a time when the sensing lever 2| responds to a marking impulse, then the projection 43 will move to the right to thereby enable the spring 33 to pivot the mixer lever 3I and sensing lever 2I clockwise.

A bell crank 44 having an extension in the form of a bail 46 is mounted pivotally on a suitable shaft 41. The bell crank 44 carriesa stud 48 which cooperates with an insulated portion 49 of a contact assembly When any of the sensing levers 2I move upwards in response to a disagreement between the impulses in' an incoming signal and in the master control form 23, a projection 52 on such sensing lever 2I engages the bail 46 thereby pivoting the bell crank 44 clockwise and causing the stud 48 to engage the contact insulation portion 49. This causes a contact 53 of the assembly 5I to close against a contact 54 which completes a circuit to any kind; of, an alarm device 56, which will be deribed h e n fte A feed wheel 51 for advancing the-master control; form 23 is mounted on a suitable shaft 58. The shaft 58 has a ratchet 59 aifixed thereto which enables a pawl 6I to advance the ratchet 59 and shaft 58 in a stepped manner. A stepping magnet 62' has a. cooperating. armature 63 securedpivotally on a shaft 64. The armature 63 is connected pivotally to the-paw1 6I by a bolt 66 and a spring 51 normally retains the armature 63 in clockwise position whereby the pawl 6I is disengagedfrom the ratchet 59. The pawl BI is provided. with a spring 69 which retains the pawl 6 I against a stop lug 69. Upon enerizat on o he m n 62, e armatu e 3. s ivoted-count rclockw bout the. shaft 6 a the pawl. El is, in turn, moved upward whereby it eng es. and m v s a too h. on the. a e 59. to advance. t tch t. 5. a step. A deent. lereri mou te pivot l v n, a suitable shaft 'I2 and; carries. a roller 13 which, is

ld. n. co tinuous. a m nt with the. ratchet y:- e-sp n ..v The d tent roll r 3 prevents ot ion he r tch t. no mally; however, the pr s. s iii e t y we s tha thepawl BI a le to y room the de ent, en the pawl- 61 moved. ard u on ener izet on of the te p n ma net/62- Dur n norma op ration. f t e. apparatus.

hat s; when dentica i nals are sensed by eV a d ensin evers. 2|. a: .s-establ shed ome ma net. 62- upon the comp et on of. ea h. ncom si nal... tov enable s oppin of. h mas er ntrol. form 1. at

is; ime T is. ircuit c mpleted just after firt imp l e. f. ach. ncomin si n-ans. re.-

ceived when a high portion I4 on, a cam I6 is positionedsp as to engage afollower 1.1,- mounted.

pivotally on a suitable shaft 18, Normally,while the follower I1 opposite the low portionv of the cam 16, a spring. I9 retains the follower'l]. in a clockwise position whereby a contact pair 8I is open, but asthe follower TI is pivoted counterclockwise by the high portion 14 on the, cam I6 av circuit is established momentarily. to the magnet 62, from battery 82, over a lead 83, through the magnet 62, over a leadf84, through the contact pair 8I, over a lead 86, through a contact 8'! which is normally closed with the con-. tact 5.4, to the battery 82.

When a discrepancy exists between an incoming signal, as received by the selector magnet II, and the signal in the master control form 23 sensed by the sensing levers 2|, the bell crank 44 is'pi-voted clockwise to move the contacts 53 and 81 of the contact assembly 5I to the left, thereby complete a circuit from the battery 82, through closed contacts 54 and 53, through the alarm 56, through a magnet 88, over a lead 83, over a lead 9I through a closed contact pair 92 (closed because the follower I1 is on a low part of the cam |6 at this time), over a lead 93, to the battery 82. When the-magnet 88 is energized in this manner it attracts its armature 94, which is suitably mounted for pivotal movement on a shaft 95. The armature 94, when attracted, engagesa projection 96 on a link 91 which connects the bell crank 44 and the detent II, and retains' the bell crank 44 and detent II in a leftward position; The magnet 53 remains energized until slightly later than the receipt of the fifth signal'im'p'uise'by the selector magnet II, that is until the high portion I4 on the cam 16 engages the follower I1 and opens the contacts .92. It will be recalled t-hat at this time the circuit to the'control form stepping magnet 62 is normally cornpletedj throngh the contacts 81 and 54; however, this circuit is not established at this time as the stud retains the contacts 81 and 54, open. The lag of the magnet 88 in releasing;

its armature 9t is just sufiicient to insure that the contacts 81 and 54 will not. close to cause the stepping. of the ratchet 59 when there has been a discrepancy betweenthe incoming signal and asignal in the master control form 23.

Afterthe fifth impulse of the incoming signal is' received, a high portion 98 on a cam 99secured to the shaft I9 is rotated to aposition opposite a follower I0 I: mounted pivotally on a suitable shaft I02. The follower IOI' has a projecting arm I03 which is adapted to engage the projections 43 on each sensing lever 2I- to withdraw the sensing levers 2 I from engagement with thecontrol form 23 upon thec ompletion of reception of each signal. It is -after this Withdrawal of the sensing levers 21 from the control form 23'that, the stepping magnet62 is normally energi'zed to step the master control form 23.

When the control form" 23 is stepped in thenormal manner. a helical spring; I0 4,- which is secured, at. one endtethe shaft 58 and at its other end toia suitable stop I06, iswoundup. Therefore, if a discrepancy occurs between incoming signals and those in the; master control form 23, when the sensing levers, 2I- are withdrawn from the'control f0rm'23,-the springlM unvvin'dsv and; returns the master control form to itszero position. as shown,

The'master control form-23 1s shown as having aprojecting arm I 0I which-isadaptedto cooperate with an insulator I08. ona springcon tact I091 It'is contemplated that in practicing the invention that the niaster control form 23 could be mounted in a carriage and thatin such case the arm I01 would be mounted: on the carriage. lillhen the control form 23 is in its uppermost or zero position the arm I-III engages the insulator, I08. to retain the contact I09 disengagd'from'a contact III; however, the contacts:

I09 and III are closed when the control form 23' occupies any other position.

Itlis to. be; noted. that when contacts I99 and II Ifare closed, the leads II2= and H3. therefrom shortcircuit thecontact pair 92 and if'the-contacts 5.3"and-54 are closed, the magnet SIS-is retained energized independently. of the condition off'th'e contactpair 92. Since-the magnet; 88 isthus energized for so long as the contacts I09 and III are closed, the link' 9'l is-retained in-its'leftward'position'to retain the detent TI disengaged from the ratchet 53 and to prevent any possible energization ofthe magnet 62 until the control form 23 returns to zero position to cause the opening of the contacts I09 and Ill;

The contact assembly 92 is necessary for the condition whena discrepancy occurs between an incoming signal and the first signal in the control form. Under thiscondition the arm I01 on the control form 23 holds the contact l09'disengaged from the contact lll and to prevent stepping of the ratchet 59 at this time the circuit to the stepping magnet 62 is retained broken, due to the energization of magnet 88 over the circuit including the contact 92 until after the normal time for closure of the contacts 53 and 54 in the circuit of the stepping magnet 62.

From the above description of the present invention it will be apparent that numerous changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a signal comparing apparatus, means for comparing incoming signals with signals in a master control form including a selector mechanism having an armature movable in accordance with said incoming signals, a, plurality of sensing levers positioned by said signals in said master control form, a mechanical actuator controlled by the position of said armature and said sensing levers and moved upon a variation between said incoming signals and said master control form signals, an alarm, and a circuit operable when said actuator is moved for actuating said alarm to indicate said variation between said incoming and said master control form signals.

2. In a signal comparing apparatus, means for comparing incoming signals with signals stored in a master control form including a selector mechanism for receiving said incoming signals, said stored signals being in the form of code combinations corresponding in order to the incoming signals, a plurality of sensing levers operable simultaneously with said selector mechanism for sensing said signals in said master control form,

means for stepping said master control form from a zero position in unison with said incoming signals, means normally ineffective for returning said master control form to said zero position,

and means controlled by a dual effect of said selector mechanism and said sensing levers and effective upon a variation between said incoming signals and said signals in said master control form for rendering said last-mentioned means effective to return said master control form to said zero position.

3. In a signal comparing apparatus, a selector magnet for receiving incoming signals, an armature controlled by said magnet in accordance with said incoming signals, a plurality of sensing levers operable simultaneously with said selector magnet for sensing signals stored in a master control form, said signals stored on the master control form being a sequence of code combinations corresponding in order to the incoming signals, means for stepping said master control form from a zero position in unison with said incoming signals, means normally ineffective for returning said master control form to said zero position, an alarm, a detent for retaining said control form in a stepped position upon being stepped by said control form stepping means, and a lever controlled by a dual efiect of said armature and said sensing levers and efiective upon a variation between said incoming signals and said signals in said master control form for actuating said alarm and rendering said detent inefiective, said detent upon being rendered inefiective enabling said control form returning means to return said control form to said zero position.

4. In combination with a signal receiving mechanism, means for sensing predetermined signals on a master control form, an actuator maintained in position by said sensing means, a member positioned in accordance with signals received by said signal receiving mechanism to prevent movement of said sensing means when said received signal and sensed signal are identical, means controlled by said signal receiving mechanism for moving said sensing means and said actuator when the signals received are not identical with the sent signals, and an indicator operated by the movement of said actuator.

5. In a signal verifying apparatus, a solenoid adapted to be energized by incoming signal impulses, an armature adapted to be moved in accordance with the energization of said solenoid, a plurality of sensing arms adapted to be positioned in accordance with a predetermined code designation on a master control form, means on said sensing arms for engaging said armature when the solenoid is deenergized and the particular sensing arm senses a no current code designation in the control form, said armature adapted to be moved into position to engage said means on the sensing arm upon reception of an incoming current impulse whenever said particular sensing arm senses a current designation in the master control form, a control arm engaging each of said sensing arms, a cam for controlling the position of each of said control arms, each of said cams being provided with a cutout portion, means controlled by the incoming signal for rotating the cams to sequentially present the cutout portions to the control arms in unison with the reception of signal impulses, means to movethe control arm into said cutout portion whenever said armature is not in position to engage said means on said sensing arms to indicate a variance between the incoming signal and the signal designation on the master control form, an actuator arm adapted to be engaged and moved by the movement of any of said sensing arms, and means operated by the movement of said actuator arm for indicating a variance between the incoming signal and the signals sensed on the master control form.

6. In a signal comparing apparatus, a selector magnet energized in accordance with incoming signal impulses, an armature adapted to be moved by the energization of said magnet, a plurality of sensing arms positioned in accordance with signal code combinations on a master control form, stepping means for advancing said master control form in unison with the reception of signals by the selector magnet, an actuator maintained in an unoperative position when said armature and sensing arms are positioned by identical signals, and means controlled by the incoming signals for moving said actuator when the armature and the sensing arms are positioned by different signals to move the actuator to render the stepping means inefiective.

7. In a signal comparing apparatus, a selector magnet energized by incoming signal impulses, an armature positioned in accordance with the energization of the selector magnet, a plurality of sensing levers positioned by a signal code in a master control form, means for stepping the master control form in unison with the reception of incomin sigiiais,- meane for lifgirig the master control-form to the initial position, maiisfor re= REFERENCES CITED 7 taining Said master nform iflth s The following references are of record in the positions, actuator means maintained in position file Of this P t by the f h en ng t i i. fine-$ ammo STATES PATENTS armature when the incoming signals are verified by the signal code in the master oontiol form, Number Name Date and means controlled by' the incoming Signals 361,020 O i pr- 8 to move the actuator to remove the retaining 2, 9 Ballentine 1937 means to return the master control form to the 10 2,315,741 Shafer i Apr. 6, 1943 initial position when said incoming signals are not verified by the signal code iii the master con trol form.

ROSS A. 

